Machine for grooving wood heels



W. J. SHAW Feb. 25, 1930.

MACHINE FOR GROOVING WOOD HEBLS Filed NOV. 28, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet lFeb. 25, 1930. w J, SHAW. O 1,748,367

. MACHINE FOR GROOVING WOOD HEELS Filed Nov. 28, 1927 2 sheets-sneer 2 4E09-J O O .rl-r,

vPatented Feb. 25,1930 l j! UNITED; STATES! PATENT OFFICE f WESLEY J.SHAW, or H Avmnmn MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR To NEW ENGLAND vwoon co. orHAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MASSA- CHUSETTS c f MACHINE:son Veraooviire Woon HEELS y App'ncaonmea,november. 2s, ieri.l 'serialNo. 236,153.

y The present inventionk relatesto machines vvfor,-gro'ovingjthe breastsof wood-heel blocks, and more particularly'Cubanheel blocks.

10' nation.Cuban.'

Thefterm-Cuban"willbeused in the speci- Vvfication'and claims to 'denoteheels of the type herein described, and?" as 'distinguished from LouisAor.`FreCh-k heels. The heels lidiowirin` the trade vas"imilitary'heels,for

such, that ytl'ie'vresulting vgroove inv the breast v is transverselycurved L1n cross section tromv the heel seat tothe tread'.

,Th'ecorresponding kcross sectional curve of a Cubanheelextends,however, from Side -to side-,of the heel, in a direction at; rightangles n i yto'that 'romseat totread. In order to groove f the, breastsfoffCubaIkheeL blocks, therefore,

itwis'fimpossible or'iinpractica'ble to use the automatic machineryydesigned-,- forv breasting Louis hee/lsl The diiiculties connected vwiththe automatic groovingv of Cuban heelsrrhave nocounterpart inthebreasting ofLouis'heels a`nd,'jsoffary as linowmlno one, kprior 4tothe f present'. invention, has.. ever succeeded in `building asatisfactory machine for perform ing this operation.

-groovedslowly andlaboriously with handf operated tools..

` Itr is,therefore.anobjectiofthepresent in-y i vention yto provideautomatic machinery of novel character for grooving Cubanheel` blocks.Otherobjectswill beeXplained hereinafter andl willbe p lrticularlypointed out f intheappended claims.

- n The invention. willnow be described inv connection` with theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. ll is a diagrammatic viewinl frontelevation, .illustrating one embodiment of the invention, a part beingbroken away for clearness; f. Fig.4 ..2`1 is` a plano/fthe same, .i withparts omitted fory clearness gfFig. Sis aplan of a detail, shown.enlarged withk respect to 'Figs'..l and 2; Fig. k4: kis a similarlyenlarged Cuban heels are still section, taken-upon. the line 4-4 ofkFig,3,

looking in thev direction ofthe arrows; land l Fig. is a perspectiveview of a Cuban-woodheel block. f f i Cuban-heel blocks, before they areoperated upon inthe illustrative machine, have the shape indicated inFig. 5 by full lines.

-The tread portion of the heel block is shown` at l and the heel-seatportion at 3. The breast 51 is boundedby the tread and theheel-seatportions l and 3 and the side faces 7 and 9. The face A11 opposite tothe breast 5 inclines upward fromthe tread portion l to the-'heele seatportion '3.

Blocks of this shape are placed upon an endless carrier, with the sideface 9 resting upon the carrier, and with the breast portion 5 disposedat one side; and are advanced by the carrier to a rotating` groovingYcutter 8, by which the breast portions 5 of the blocks are successivelycut longitudinally along the dot-and-dash lines yl0, shown-in Fig. 5,from the tread l to the seatS. The cut 10 may, if preferred, be effectedin two stages, the Second stage of the cut being ei'ected by a secondcutter l2 of larger diameter.

The endless carrier 6 comprises a plurality oflinks 16 connected by.pintles 18 that are adapted to be engaged by teeth 2O of a driving wheel22 over which the carrier 6 is mounted. The driving wheel 22 may beKAdriven froml any ldesired source of power I( not shown). The drivingWheel 22 is shown `in Fig.. 1 at `the left-hand end of the ma-V chine.Thecarrier 6 is mounted also over an idler wheel v24 at Vthe right-handend yof the machine. The idler wheel 24 is provided with a'circularperiphery and withlanges 26 betweenwhich the links of the carrier 6 areon substantially straight'` tracks 28 and 80v (Figfll) located at thesides ofan-opening32 in the frame ofV they machine, 'over which openingthe carrier is'suspended. This construction involves less friction thaniii' the carrier dragged over a solid bed bottom.

The. substantially straight tracks 28 and 30 ensure that the portion ofthe path of travel of the carrier between the driving wheel 22 and theidler wheel 24 shall be substantially' straight. In order to preventvibration of Y the carrier during its travel, itis confined on one sidebetween the track 28 and a ledge 34, and on the other side betweenthe'track 30 and a ledge 36. The ledges 34 and 36 may be secured to theframeof'the machine in any desired manner, as by means of screws 37,

Fig.4.

The blocks are successively placed ,uponV the carrier 6 at A, with the'breast portion 5. projecting at one side of the carrier. As

y each blockris advanced forward toward the cutters, its breast engagesan aiming face vward beveled part 45 of the jaw 40 first forcesv thetread 1 of the block into firm engagement 39 of analining gage 41 which,positioned atone side ofthe path oftravel ofthe jaws, pushes the blocktransversely across the'carrier, into proper position to kbe engagedbythe cutters. In this position, the breast 5 of the block extendsslightly sidewi'sebeyond 2.5

the carrier in the range of action of the cutter 8; -While being'sopushed, the tread 1 of the" block slides along a aw 88 that is mountedupon a link of the carrier so as toY move therewith. The plane yof thejaw 38 is sub'- stantially'at right angles to the path of travel of thelink 16, so that the tread 1 of the block may engage the jaw 38 snuglywhen resting longitudinally ofthe carrier, as illustrated -moreparticularly in Fig. 8, and as hereinafter more fully described.l Theblock then travels under a clampingjaw 40. The forwith thejaw 38, afterwhich the remainder of thejawrclamps theblock tightly against thecorresponding link 16 of ythe carrier. The* clamping effect is thusobtained after the block `has `first become properly positioned againstthe jaw 38, but before it has 'been advanced tothe cutter 8. At the timethat the breast 5 of the block is presented to Y the cutter, therefore,it is firmly clamped bethough severe, clamping action.

tween its side faces 7 and 9 anditsftread 1 is'engaged snugly againstthe jaw 38 the cutter acting at a point intermediate between the carrier6 below land the vjaw 40 above, and to one side of the carrier 6 and thejaw ,40,

- Unless the block is thurs lirmly clamped,

with the block resting snugly on Vthe carrier,

tively, the `40 is intermediately pivotedV at114 upon a plungery 116thatis vertically yieldable, in opposition'to the action of the spring 118,in a framework 120 that is vertically adjustable by means of a handwheelby means of a hand-Wheel 124 that is adapted to control the transverseadjustment of a slide 126 that carries the frameworkk 120.

The pivotal movement of the jaw'40 labout Vits intermediatev pivotalpoint 114l is yieldingly. resisted by two coil springs 128- and 130mounted between the framework 120 and the aw 404 on each sideof thepivot. lVhen a 'block is `forced v`underthe jaw 40, the spring v128 isylirstcompressed. The spring 130- isy 122. Transverse adjustmentmay bee'ected compressed later, as the block "isadvanced`- if' be'yo'ndtheaw40," The'spring 118 is called l y into play for blocks of extrathickness( t ,'The position of the groove '10 upon the cutters 8 and 12,iThese should be situated substantially in the planeof movement, and

t-o one side of the'vpath of travel of the jaws;

38, Aor slightly above the'links 16, at=intermediate positions of thecarrier 6,'as illustrated l,block 2 will depend upon the height of thefmore particularly in lFig.f1.A [The cutters are' i mounted uponspindlesy86 that rotate in bearings 88 and 9() and that are driven by motors orpulleys 92. The spindles 86, bearings 88 anu90 and motorsor" pulleys 92are mounted as a unit upon vertically adjustable yplates 94. i Theplates 94 may be secured in verticallyl adjusted position by bolts 198"extending through elongated openings `100.Y The verti- K, caladjustment may be facilitated by hand wheelslOQ secured to threadedstems 104 that extend through lugs 106 inthe frame ofthe machine andthat engagev the plates 94.

The jaw 40 may extend throughout sucha length ofthe machine as tomaintain the block e j clamped until afterit has traveledpast the secondcutter 12 also, or` a separate clamping jawy 141 may be kprovided vwhichmay, if de'- sired, andas is illustrated, be similar' to the jaw40.After the block has. passed the cut-1j terv12, it is released and may'beremoved from the machine in any desired manner.

fThough `Cuban-heel blocks Vare of the'gen-' eral shape heretoforedescribed, they Yvary Y,

somewhatrin size and in the inclination orangle ofthe breast 5 to thetread 1 and heel-seat portion. ln this respect, among others, thebreasting'by machinery of .Cuban-heel blocks presents .problems that arenot existent in caser of Louis-heels; for it'becomes necessary toprovide .a differentjaw' 38 for practically every different shapeandVsize, of, heel block.

'Accordingto a feature ofthe present invention, howevenit is possible touse onev jaw 88 for allv sizes and v,shapes of Cuban-heel blocks thatane used Vinactual practicemerely by providlngasuitable adj'ustmentforthe "i Asa@ jaws 'es teiaibaanuaiiy alike, it

Y j ein? niet@ iias'eabefne jawfes my? The jfafwf38f is pivoted' uponits link 1'6 at one end` 4I2so asy to adaptit to take up different angiey larpositions upon the link, j Theother end of the jawi's provided witha circular slot 44.

Abolt46 extends through theslot44: and intor n the link v16 to clamp thejaw in pivotally ad; f justed'position. f f f In order to'provideforrapid adj ustmentof all the jaws, a gage 48 is'r positioned as illus#trated more" particularly"inFigs y2 andy 3.

V'Ih'e'gage is adjustable transversely -o-f the' carriertopositions'that may Vbe determined-in advance tojcorrespond to desiredangular po-1 sitions of the jaws 38. A scale-mayk be provided to yhelp set thelgage inl predetermined transversely adjusted position.

The bolts 46 are firstloosened successively v ifnecessary, andthejawsare moved about their :pivots 42 to anextreme limit of movement.:.Thegage 48 isfadjusted to the predef v termined setting; and thecarrier is' t-hen e started toqmovejslowly. As the successivek c linksltravel' past the gageJlS, the jaws 38 Varey engaged thereby yand arethus moved toa po sit-ion of angular adjustment corresponding tothepredetermined adjustment ofthe gage.

' The bolts 46 a'reth'en retightened to secure the jaws lirmlyinadjusted-position.

"Unless this operation is carefully carried out,there` will be danger ofthe-jaws being moved by the, gage 48 toov far beyond the desiredpositionk of, adjustmi-nitf.` A linger 50 (shown in'Fig. lkas'a ball) istheretore'pro` videdineach link 16. Each ball fingere() isrspring-pressed upward intoy engagementgwithv f thefbottoiniace 'of thejaw 38.*, This bottom tacev is provided with a plurality'ot circularlyarranged recesses 52 into which the springpressed ball lingers 50 areadapted to enter.

. Asv the spring lingers `lOitend easily' to enter the'rece'sses 52, buttend to leave the recesses only upon the exertion oifa somewhat greater4firmes, the angular positionety the jaw 3813e-l comes y.relativelj'ffixed(y llt, therefore, the f gage 48 isproperly adjusted, it will movethe i aw'38 toa position *such that a ball finger 50y f willfdropintoone of the openings 52`l and the' jaw will be held in that'po'sitionuntil the bolt 46 is retightened. As a singlecircular row"y otopenings`52 will not'p'rovide a sufficient range oi adjustment,severalsuchV rows,with

springfpressed ballzfin'gers`v 50 lfor each row,

are' provided, as illustrated'.

" ,loaieatlions may bei mariel vthl the Y spiritand scope/of theinvention, as will read' therto, but is defined, by 'the appendedAclaims. f

f ilyoccurtol persons skilled lin the art.` It will therefore beunderstoodl that the machine illustratedand described hereinisjillustrative only,r 'andthat the invention is not restricted y fLWhat is claimed' ist'.

, j l. Ay machinefor grooving the breastsot yCubanlheelblocks in alongitudinal direction, the said'machine having, `in combination, a"

heellblock-grooving cutter, an endless carrier comprisinga pluralityot'links, a jaw mounted upon each link of the carrier so as to movewithy ythe carrier and extending substantially at right angles to thepath of ytravel ot the jaw so as to be engaged by an end ot a Cubanheelvblock when resting longitudinally on the carrier with the breastextending sidewise beyond the jawV at one'side of the carrier, a

gage situatedat one side of the path oftravel' of thel jaws and adaptedto be engaged by the breast of the'h-eel block to'cause the block Y tobe positioned on the carrier in engagement with the j awin predeterminedrelation to the cutter, the jaw being angularly adjustable on A positionsuch that the cutter shall cut a groove in the breast ot'each heel blockin av longitudinal direction.

j 2. A machine Jfor igrooving thev breasts of Cuban-heel blocks yinaglongitudinal direction, the said machine having, in combination,a-fheel-blockg`rooving cutter, an endless carrier comprising apluralityof links, a jaw mounted upon each link of the carrier so as vto movewith the carrier and extending substantially at right angles to the pathof travel of the jaw so Vas to be engaged by an end of a Cuban-heelblock when resting longitudinally on the ycarrier ywith the breastextending sidewise beyond the jaw at one side of the carrier, a gagesituated at one side of the path of travel of the jaws and adapted to beengaged'by the breast of the heel block to cause the blockto bepositioned on the carrier in engagement with Vthe jaw in predeterminedlrelation to the cutter, means operable during ioo ibs

the actuation of the' carrier to clamp the block f on the carrier in thesaidpredetermined re- 'lationtothe cutter,"and means for actuating thecarrier, the cutter being situated at one sideof the path of travel ofthe jaws, whereby the carrier is adapted to advance to the cutterclamped Cuban-heelblocks nposition such that the cutter shall cut agroove inthe breast of each heel block inalongitudinal direction.

' 3. A machine for grooving the breasts of Cuban-heel blocks inl allongitudinal direction, the ysaid machine having, in combina-l ristion, a heel-block grooving cutter, an endless carrier lcomprising aplurality of jaws each adapted to be engaged by an endxof a Cubanheelblock when restinglongitudinally on the carrier in predeterminedlrelation to the cutter, the jaws being angularly adjustable on thecarrier so as to correspond to the breast angle of fdilferent'heelblocks, means' operable.A

ies

during the actuation. of the vcarrier to clamp. the block on the carrierin the said predetermined relation to the cutter, and means foractuating the carrier, whereby the carrier is adapted to advance to thecutter clamped Cuban-heel blocks in position suchy that the cutterYshall cut a groove in the breast of each heel block in a longitudinaldirection. t

4. A machinetorgrooving the breasts of Cuban-heel blocks in alongitudinal direction, the said machine having, in combination, aheel-block-grooving cutter, an endless carrier comprising a plurality ofaws each adapted to be engaged by an endof a Cuban-heel block whenresting longitudinally on `the carrier in predetermined relation to thecutter, means operable during the actuation of the carrier to clamp theblock on the carrier in the said predetermined relation to the cutter,means Jfor actuating thecarrier, whereby the carrier is adapted toadvance to the cutter clamped Cuban-heel blocks inl position such thatthey cutter shall cut a groove in the breast of each heel lblock ina'longitudinal direction, and means operable at a predetermined positionin theV path of travel ofthe carrier for an# gularly adjusting the-jawsto correspondto the breast angle of different heel blocks. i i

5. A machine for grooving the breasts of Cuban-heel blocks in alongitudinal direc-ev tion, the said machine having, in combina'- tion,a -heel-block-grooving cutter, an end less carrier comprising aplurality of jawsYY each adaptedto be engaged by an end of a Cuban-heelblock when resting longitudinally on the carrier in predeterminedrelation to the cutter,.means operable during the actuation of thecarrier to'clamp thenblockon the carrierk in the said predeterminedrelation to the cutter,'means for actuating the carrier, whereby thecarrier is adapted-to advance to the cutter clamped Cu.ban-heel blocksin position suclithat the cutter shall;

cut a groove in the breast of each heel block in a longitudinaldirection, and an adjustable gage positioned at av predeterminedposition inthe path of travel of the carrier for angu-v larlyadjustingthe jaws toy correspond to the breast angle of diereiit heelblocks'. l

' 6. A niachineforgrooving the breastsof Cuban-heel blocks in alongitudinal direc# tion, the said mach-ine having, in combination, aheel-block-grooving cutter, anpendless carrier comprising a pluralityof` jaws each adapted to be engaged by an end of a Cuban-heel block whenresting longitudinally on the carrier in predetermined relation to thecutter, means operable during the actuation of the carrier to clamp theblock on the carrier -in the said predetermined relation to tliecutter,means itor actuating the carrier, whereby the carrier is adapted toadvance yto the vcutter clamped Cubanlieel blocks in position such thatthe cutterr shall cut a groove -in the breast of each h eel Yblock in alongitudinal direction, means operable at ay predetermined position inthepath of travel of the carrier for. angularly adjusting the jaws tocorrespond to the f breast angle of different heel blocks, vandAv Ineans for relatively fixing the angiilarly ad-r justed positions of thejaws."` i

7. A machine for grooving the breasts olijf Cuban-heell blocks inv alongitudinal direction, the said machine having, in combination, yaheelblock-grooving cutter, a carrier, jaws mounted upon the lcarrier soas to travel with the carrier, eachrjaw being adapted'to sol onthecarrier in predetermined relation toV theA cuttter, the cutter beingYsituated at Vone v side of the path of travel of the j aws'wherel lcutter`l clamped Cuban-heel blocks in posi'-r tion such that the cuttershall cut a groove in by the carrier is adapted to 'advance to the thebreast of eachheel block in .a longitudinal direction. i Y c i Si. Amachine for grooving'the breastsV of Cuban-heel 'blocks in Valongitudinal direci tion, 'the' said kmacliinefhaving, in combina-1vtion, a heel-bloclr-grooving' cutter, an" endless carrier. comprising aplurality of links,

' jaws mounted upon the carrier so as to -move with'the carrier,each jawbeing adapted to be engaged by an end of a Cubanheelblockf When restinglongitudinally on the carrier with the breast extending sidewise beyondthe jaw at one side of the carrier, a gage situated at one side of thepath ont travel of the jawsy and adapted to be engaged by the breast o fthe heel block to cause the block to be positioned on the carrier inengagement with'the jaw in predetermined Vrelation to the cutter,

and'- means for actuating the carrier, the cut?y ter 4being situated atone yside of the path of Y travel yof the jaws, whereby the Vcarrier isadapted to advance to the cutter clamped: i

Cuban-heel blocks in position such that the cutter shall cut a groove inthe breast of eachv heel block in a longitudinal direction. 9. A machinefor grooving the breasts of Quba'n-heel blocks in'fa `longitudinaldirec-. tion, the said machine having, in Vcombina-i tion, a heel-blockgrooving cutterfan endless carrier comprisingaplurality of links,l jawsmounteduponthe carrier, so as toy move with the carrier,eachjawbeing'adapted to" y be engaged by an end'oif va Cuban-heel blockvwhen resting longitudinally on the carrier in being angularlyadjustableon kthe carrier so Y predetermined relation to the cutter,thejaws i the carrier, whereby the carrier is adapted to advance to thecutter clamped Cuban-,heel blocks in position such'that the cutter shallp 'cutagroove inthe breast of each `heel'blocli l c in a longitudinaldirection. v c

. l0. machine for grooving the breasts of i i' Cuban-heel blocks in alongitudinal direction, the said machine having, in combination, a c

4 heelbloclr-grooving cutter, a carriercompris'ingja plurality of jawseach adapted to be engaged by an end ofa Cuban-heel blockV when restinglongitudinally on the carrier in predetermined relation to the cutter,means v for actuating the carrier, whereby the carrier vis f adapted toadvance to the cutter lclamped Cuban-heel blocks'in position such Ykthat the cutter shall cut a groovein the breast of each heel block in alongitudinal Y scribedmyfname.

direction, and means operable-at a predetermined position in the pathlof, travel of the carrier for angularly radjusting the jaws tocorrespond to the breast angle of different heel blocks.y l y 1 v c Intestimony whereof, Irhave hereunto sub- WESLEY J. SHAW.

